Idolatrous Worship Denounced

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face toward the (A)mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord [a]God! This is what the Lord [b]God says to the mountains, the hills, the ravines, and the valleys: “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword against you, and (B)I will destroy your high places. So your (C)altars will become deserted and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your (D)bones around your altars. [c]Everywhere you live, (E)cities will be in ruins and the high places will be deserted, so that your altars will be in ruins and [d]deserted, your (F)idols will be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars will be cut down, and your works wiped out. The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.

“However, I will leave a (G)remnant, in that you will have those who (H)escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered among the countries. Then those of you who escape will (I)remember Me among the nations to which they will be taken captive, how I have [e](J)been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which committed infidelity with their idols; and they will (K)loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations. 10 Then they will know that I am the Lord; I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them.”’

11 “This is what the Lord [f]God says: ‘Clap your hands, (L)stamp your foot and say, “(M)Woe, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by the (N)sword, famine, and plague! 12 Anyone who is (O)far away will die by the plague, anyone who is near will fall by the sword, and anyone who remains and is spared from these will die by the famine. So I will (P)expend My wrath on them. 13 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when their (Q)dead are among their idols around their altars, on (R)every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every leafy tree and under every massive oak with thick branches—the places where they offered a soothing aroma to all their idols. 14 So through all their dwelling places I will (S)stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah; so they will know that I am the Lord.”’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 6:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  2. Ezekiel 6:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  3. Ezekiel 6:6 Lit In all your dwellings
  4. Ezekiel 6:6 As in some ancient versions; MT suffer for their guilt
  5. Ezekiel 6:9 Lit been broken; another reading is broken their (but unlikely)
  6. Ezekiel 6:11 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

Prophecy against the Mountains of Israel

The Lord continued with his message to me. “Son of Man,” he said, “turn your face to oppose the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them. Tell the mountains of Israel to listen as the Lord God speaks. This is what the Lord God has to say to the mountains, hills, streams, and the valleys: ‘Look! I’m about to bring my sword against you. I’m going to destroy your high places. Your altars will become desolate and your sun pillars will be shattered. I’ll throw your slain down right in front of your idols. I’ll place the corpses of the Israelis in front of their idols. I’ll scatter your bones around your altar. In all the places where you live, the cities will be desolate. The high places will also be desolate so that your altars will be laid waste, bearing the punishment appropriate to them.[a] Your idols will be shattered, your sun pillars will be hewn down, and your works will be obliterated. The fatally wounded among you will fall, and at that time you’ll know that I am the Lord. I’ll leave a remnant among you—those who will escape the sword when I’ll have scattered you throughout the earth. Your survivors will remember me among the nations where they’ll be taken captives. I’ve been crushed by their unfaithful[b] hearts that have turned against me. 10 Then they’ll know that I am the Lord. I didn’t declare this evil that’s intended for them[c] without a reason.’”

11 This is what the Lord God says: “Clap your hands and stamp your feet! Say, ‘Oh, no!’ Because of all the detestable evil that has come from Israel’s house, they’ll fall by the sword, famine, and pestilence. 12 The one who lives far away will die by pestilence and the one who is near will die violently.[d] The survivors and their surveillance details will die by famine as I exhaust my rage against them.

13 “You’ll learn[e] that I am the Lord, when the fatally wounded will be among their idols, around their altars, on every hill, on top of the mountains, under every luxuriant tree, and under all the full-grown[f] foliage—every place where they’ve offered fragrant aromas to all their idols. 14 I’ll stretch out my hands to strike[g] them and send devastation to the land, from the wilderness of Diblah, throughout all their dwelling places. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 6:6 The Heb. lacks appropriate to them
  2. Ezekiel 6:9 Lit. whoring
  3. Ezekiel 6:10 evil to do to them
  4. Ezekiel 6:12 Lit. will fall by the sword
  5. Ezekiel 6:13 Or know
  6. Ezekiel 6:13 Lit. under every high
  7. Ezekiel 6:14 Lit. hands against